


The Five Stages Of Grief

by Finnis



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Crack, Drabble Collection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Light Angst, M/M, This is a clusterfuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-27 14:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20761955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finnis/pseuds/Finnis
Summary: Set of 100 drabbles, Haikyuu!! cast-centric (especially Shiratorizawa). 5 sets of 20.Shirabu howls in pain as he regards both Tendou and Goshiki with his lethal stare that could probably outmatch Medusa. “Are you both fucking thick?” He asks incredulously, not expecting an actual answer.Tendou grins, waggling his eyebrows, and playfully slaps his thigh. “Obviously.”





	1. Denial

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I'm Rubber, You're Glue](https://archiveofourown.org/works/667917) by [Katseester](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katseester/pseuds/Katseester). 

> So yeah, I’m currently sick and staying in bed, but lemme tell ya, the medicine I’m taking really rocks. Like, it’s basically pure alc. I don’t drink, but damn do I love being able to sleep thru the night.
> 
> This is gonna take a while since these are 100 prompts broken down into segments. Check out the fanfic this one was inspired by if ur interested in SMT and Persona.

  1. ** Birth**

Someone audibly clears their throat and the silence is broken, as the excited chatter of a dozen (at least it feels like a dozen) first years resounds in the spacious gym.

Yamagata stares helplessly at the other second years. “What do we do with all these gremlins?” He stage-whispers.

The others just shrug their shoulders – no one had explicitly _told_ them to instruct the newbies or anything, so what were they supposed to do?

Reon opens his mouth to voice his thoughts but is cut off by a fresh-faced newbie popping up right in front of him. “Senpai,” the newcomer announces in a serious voice and Reon’s heart _melts away_.

He smiles sweetly at the other – what had he introduced himself as, Shirabi? – and crouches down a little bit to match his height. “Yes?”

Shitabu glares at him, but Reon suspects that’s just his resting face. “These two-“ he points behind himself where Semi and Tendou squabble as usual –“are scaring off the others. They keep calling us their ‘little angels and babies that definitely need to be protected’. Asking for permission to kick them respectfully.”

Reon sighs. “Permission granted.”

  1. ** Enthusiasm**

Goshiki stares at the boy with the bright orange hair for a second before bursting into laughter.

“What?” The other asks sceptically, his eyes glistening dangerously. He doesn’t seem like much of a threat, but then again, neither does Shirabu and he sure packs a mean punch.

“Nothing,” he rasps out between the laughing fit and hacking coughs. “It’s just – you’re so _tiny. _Are you sure you play volleyball?”

The air visibly cools around him and Goshiki almost sees his breath against the purple-coloured sky. He rubs his arms to keep the chill from gnawing at his body while eyeing the other boy suspiciously. Was he some kind of cursed demon?

But the other boy just bristles ever so slightly before ferociously grinning at him. “Doesn’t matter!” He answers cheekily. “I’m still the ultimate decoy!” He adds that with such pride that even Goshiki – the ace of his team and in _no way_ just some simple decoy – gawks at him with admiration in his eyes.

Just for a second though.

“Well, I don’t care! I’m the ace and I’ll definitely crush you!”

Before the other boy can interrupt him he finally remembers where they’re at, and the weirdness of the situation dawns on him. “How’d you even get in here?”

“Oh, Ushijima invited us.”

“’Us’?”

Something heavy crashes into his back and he keels over.

  1. ** Complicated**

Yamagata and Reon watch in horror as Semi and Tendou hobble in on crutches. Even Ushijima furrows his brow, although he seems more inconvenienced than concerned.

“I’m honestly scared to ask but- what the fuck did you guys do?”

Semi blanches as Tendou whistles a tune and scratches his head. “We have a complicated relationship, okay?” The former mumbles after what feels like an eternity.

“More like you’re gonna have complications with coach.”

Yamagata snickers.

  1. ** Making History**

The first time Kawanishi makes the mistake of sneaking a look at Tendou’s phone is also the last. His elder has earbuds in and doesn’t even notice it, hitting the ‘skip song’-button even with closed eyes.

His wallpaper features some kind of anime – a dark-haired guy with glasses, a silver-haired guy and a cute poodle. One simple word adorns the background – somebody must be quite illiterate if they can’t even spell ‘Victory’ right. Suddenly the redhead’s finger lifts from the phone and Kawanishi sees the song Tendou’s stopped at.

‘History Maker’.

What he doesn’t see is how Tendou notices him staring out of the corner of his eyes. The redhead presses his thumb to the scanner of his phone, successfully logging in, and opens the music library, displaying the title of the current song and the thumbnail. What Kawanishi didn’t suspect, is that Tendou chooses his album covers himself.

It most definitely is not PG-rated.

  1. ** Rivalry**

Shirabu huffs in annoyance as someone with a really bad dye-job - pardon, he meant his _senpai_ \- jogs past him. Does he always have to show off? He speeds up a little bit and keeps pace with Semi for a few metres until the other suddenly zooms off once again.

“What the fuck,” he whispers to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.

It’s 30°C and the way his upperclassman behaves truly is troublesome. They had decided against their usual route through the town and opted for a few laps across the school property instead, hoping that that would reduce the fainting and dehydration.

Consumed by his thoughts and self-pity he doesn’t notice the lump right before his feet until he stumbles, chin painfully colliding with the grassy ground. Shirabu groans, lifting his head and leaning up on his forearms and glancing behind to see what had made him fall. He groans once again when he sees Semi’s form on the ground and nudges him roughly with his foot.

“You still alive, Semi-san?”

Said boy swats his foot away with his hand and turns his head to glance at him. “Technically, I still won.”

Someone runs past them and they hear a cheery voice from above. “Slow and steady wins the race! Get up, ya slackers!”

Tendou being bridal-style carried by Ushijima surely must have been a mirage.

  1. ** Unbreakable**

Receiving a volleyball with your face is never a good idea. Nonetheless, it happens more often than one would assume.

Yamagata Hayato had mixed feelings about today’s training session from the very beginning. Maybe it was coach’s bad mood. Maybe it was Eita’s grim face. Or maybe it was just the kind of mouldy-looking taco he’d eaten the day before. Honestly, it probably was the synergy of all these components. Who could tell.

So when coach yells at him to practice his receives, since his performance today is _everything_ _but perfect, damn you, Hayato, get a hold of yourself, _he gets paired up with none other than Eita.

Eita, miserable and gloomy, but also accompanied by a lot of pent-up anger. He can’t do anything against the fact that his movements are slowed down by the disconcerting rumble in his stomach, and he can’t do anything against Eita’s violently powerful serves.

He accepts his demise immediately.

It hurts a lot, to be frank, but at least his nose isn’t broken.

  1. ** Obsession**

There is an ape clinging to Ushijima’s body, its long arms and legs slung around the ace and effectively hoisting itself up.

The monkey is quite big and pretty hairless, except for a small thatch of straight, jetblack hair framing its very human face. And – very un-monkey-like – it keeps on talking about wanting to beat Ushijima in an official match, almost obsessively repeating the phrase as if chanting a spell.

Never mind, it’s no ape, it’s just Goshiki.

  1. ** Eternity**

“How long are you going to continue playing volleyball?”

The question doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s one that every member of the Volleyball Club eventually asks or is asked in return, which makes Wakatoshi’s silence weirder and weirder the longer it continues.

“I have thought about this a lot, Satori, and I have come to the conclusion,” he pauses mid-sentence, and although he probably never intended to make it sound this dramatic, it definitely is, “that I will most likely play for an eternity. If not longer.” He concludes in the same monotone voice.

Satori sighs, but it is a sound full of fondness. “No shit Sherlock.”

  1. ** Gateway**

Reon finds them behind the school building, some white, powdery stuff in the palms of their hands. The brick wall does nothing to hide them, no matter how close they press their bodies to it, and as soon as they notice the shadow looming over them they slap their hands down to hide whatever it is they’re doing. Probably something illegal.

The wing spiker grabs Shirabu’s hand with his right and Kawanishi’s upper arm with his left, yanking them carefully into an upright position and keeping them from fleeing the scene of crime.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” He demands to know, his tone authorial and leaving no room for lies or excuses. The way he carefully eyes them can only be described as disappointed.

“I can’t believe you’d do drugs,” he continues when no answer comes.

Shirabu opens his mouth to interject – maybe defend himself – but Reon is having none of it.

“You both know how strict this school is! I can’t believe I would find you two, of all people back here, snorting cocaine – the gateway drug! – or whatever!” Running a shaky hand through his short, dark hair, he sighs.

“Senpai,” Kawanishi’s indifferent voice resounds in his ear and he looks at the younger boy who raises his hand, still clutching some of that white stuff, to his face and licks it. “It’s just powdered sugar.”

Reon doesn’t know if he’s supposed to feel relieved or even more concerned.

“Why are you snorting confectioner’s sugar behind the school.”

  1. ** Death**

Death itself opens the door to Semi-san’s room on this particular afternoon.

Shirabu had just stopped by to check on his upperclassman – contrary to popular belief he is not some kind of heartless monster, so when Semi hadn’t shown up to morning practice, maybe he’d gotten a little worried. Just a teeny-weeny bit, of course.

He was not prepared for this sight. Something that might have been Semi in an earlier lifetime stares right back at him.

Yep, definitely Semi. Despite the bloodshot eyes, the tousled hair and the disarranged state of his clothes.

Shirabu screams in horror as the creature croaks out his name.

  1. ** Opportunities**

He could have proven himself, if they’d just let him. He would’ve shown them what he is made of – steel and determination and pure _skill_.

He is no loser, not a nobody. He is the best of the best, and as such, he reigns over the court.

They say third time’s the charm, but he wouldn’t have needed three tries. He would’ve excelled at the first toss.

He never got the opportunity to put his ability to the test.

If only he hadn’t failed the entrance exam.

Kageyama resents himself for that.

  1. ** 33%**

“Detroit Smash!”

Upon hearing the yell, Semi whirls around and braces himself for the inevitable impact. Only that it isn’t directed at him this time, as Tendou walks calmly beside him with one earbud in and the other one dangling around his neck. “Something wrong, Semisemi?” He asks, grinning leisurely.

“No,” he answers, dragging the back of his hand across his face and sighing deeply. Was he imagining things? He is _so_ _sure _he has just heard that weird catchphrase Tendou repeats whenever he jumps him.

He doesn’t notice the tall guy with the man bun rubbing his – probably already bruising – side while shooting a hurt, disappointed look at his shorter friend. “What’d you do that for, Yu?” The taller one asks.

“Just wanted to test my new move! I call it 33% Detroit Smash!”

  1. ** Dead Wrong**

Shirabu howls in pain as he regards both Tendou and Goshiki with his lethal stare that could probably outmatch Medusa. “Are you both fucking thick?” He asks incredulously, not expecting an actual answer.

Tendou grins, waggling his eyebrows, and playfully slaps his thigh. “Obviously.”

“That’s not what I- never mind.” He’s starting to get a migraine, so he rubs his temples, hoping that will help in any way.

The day started so good. Semi wasn’t there to reprimand him, Ushijima was in a top-notch condition, Kawanishi didn’t slack off as much as usual, Yamagata picked up almost every spike that Reon threw in his direction and Shirabu felt refreshed for once. So why did these two knuckleheads have to-

He hears Goshiki whisper something into Tendou’s ear.

“For the last time, neither do I cut my hair with a protractor, nor do I have a third eye hiding under my bangs!” 

  1. ** Running Away**

Someone crouches down beside him, and he peeks through the drenched, ash-blond bangs that are currently plastered to his face.

“You can’t always run away when something mildly inconveniences you, Semisemi,” the other person sighs, patting his hair ever so slightly. It makes a wet sound, like light rain on concrete. Maybe not. “You’re not a child anymore.”

Semi grumbles something unintelligible under his breath, slapping his hand away. “So what, who’s gonna stop me? You?” He snorts unattractively.

“Oh Eita,” Tendou drawls. “You’re such a sore loser.”

Then he proceeds to pull the former setter closer to him and envelops him in a hug, wrapping his arms securely around the shivering boy and murmuring sweet nothings into his ear.

  1. ** Judgement**

“Senpai, what are you wearing?"

Tendou makes a show of scanning his outfit and then fixating Kawanishi and Shirabu with his crimson eyes. The former looks disinterested, but Shirabu scrunches up his nose as if he’s smelled something bad. Which couldn’t be the case, obviously. “What do you mean?” He asks innocently.

“Semi-san told us your streetwear was questionable. But I didn’t think it was this _atrocious._”

Frowning he pulled the shirt slightly away from his body, rubbing the material between his fingertips. Okay, maybe the distressed jeans had seen better days and maybe he didn’t exactly need the sunhat, but really?

“I don’t want to be seen with you while you’re wearing an ahegao-shirt, Tendou-san. God, I’m judging you so hard for this.”

Tendou can’t help bursting into laughter.

  1. ** Seeking Solace**

Ushijima does not know how he ended up in this situation. He is deeply uncomfortable and it shows clear as daylight on his face. Awkwardly he pats Goshiki’s shoulder blade, as said boy buries his face in Ushijima’s jersey.

“And then I-“ his sentence is interrupted by a wet-sounding hiccough. “I- I…” It was to no avail. He bursts into tears again, smearing snot and other mucus on his jacket.

The older one nods seriously as he stands stock-still, one hand now rubbing circles on the small of Goshiki’s back and the other one hanging limp at his side. “It is alright, Goshiki. You did good.”

He shoots a questioning look at Tendou who sits on one of the benches just a few feet away. The redhead just gives him a thumbs up and grins encouragingly. 

“But Ushijima-senpai, don’t you understand?" Goshiki finally raises his head to lock eyes with Ushijima and the ace can’t help but notice the tear-streaks on his cheeks and the puffiness around his eyes. “I sold my soul to the devils for three chicken nuggets yesterday night! And I already ate them!”

“What did the devil look like?”

Goshiki wails and starts gesturing with his arms. “Devils! They were tall and one was red-haired and had these mean-looking spikes on his head, and the other one had ginger hair.”

Of course.

  1. ** Excuses** **(Continuation of 16. Seeking Solace)**

Semi’s left eyebrow twitches, and that’s _never _a good sign. “You have three seconds to explain yourselves.”

“Ah shit,” Tendou mumbles.

Semi abruptly covers Shirabu’s ears, who shoots him an annoyed look in return. “Watch your fucking language,” he hisses, staring Tendou down.

Kawanishi shuffles his feet, kicking some stray pebbles around. “It’s not like we meant to scare him that badly,” he sighs. “It’s not our fault he’s so naïve.”

Both setters squint at him. “You better set this straight before this turns into an actual problem.”

  1. ** Vengeance**

“What would you fill a piñata with?” Semi nonchalantly casts a look at Tendou, who’s sitting across from him.

“Money, I guess? I honestly don't know."

"Really? I’d fill it with bees.” Semi’s smile is as bright as ever.

Tendou nervously eyes the bright pink papier-mâché horse that currently rests in Semi’s well-toned arms.

“So, whose birthday is it?” He dares to ask, his smile crooked.

“Ah, it’s no one’s birthday. I just thought I’d give Shirabu a treat for once.”

  1. ** Love**

Sugawara smiles softly at the confused boy before him. “So what does it feel like, your pain?” He asks.

Kageyama vaguely points at his chest area before looking to the side once again, actively avoiding eye contact. “I don’t know, it just feels weird. Maybe I’m getting sick?” His eyes are full of worry, and that is a look Sugawara does _not_ want to see on the young boy.

He hums in thought. “When do you feel it?”

The dark-haired setter eyes his surroundings carefully, until he deems it safe enough to learn forward and whisper something into Sugawara’s ear. “When Hinata is around.”

“Ah,” he murmurs, “and you said you felt it in your chest?”

Kageyama nods, a light blush high on his cheekbones.

“That might be the butterflies in your stomach.” The older boy grins at him knowingly.

“What do you mean Sugawara-san? I can’t remember to have eaten any butterflies recently.”

  1. ** Tears**

There’s a ringing in his ears that’s not quite unfamiliar. The glaring fluorescent light above him makes shapes dance across his closed eyelids as he moves his body slightly to the side, his shoulder pushing against polished linoleum. Linoleum? Is he on the ground?

He cracks one eye open to survey his surroundings – concerned faces crowd his vision, making it swim slightly as tears well up in his eyes and threaten to spill.

He groans and drapes one hand over his eyes to shield them from the blinding light.

“Move, you idiots!” Someone commands and he hears the shuffling of feet close, too close to his ears. Then something cold, wet plops onto his head and he nearly screams in relief. He didn’t know his head had hurt that badly.

The metallic taste on his tongue doesn’t let up though, and he almost gags as he tries to swallow it, falling into a fit of coughing that makes his head throb even more.

Someone pats his shoulder lightly, and he notices how sticky his skin feels, drenched with sweat, but also the wetness that rhythmically drips onto his cheek. When he opens his eyes the tiniest bit, he catches a glimpse of ash-blond hair. “It’s alright,” the person murmurs softly, almost drowned out by the beat of his own heart. “Somebody’s fetching the nurse right now, Kenjiro, it’s gonna be okay.”

Darkness engulfs him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hate formatting
> 
> When I wrote about a bad dip-dye job i was talking about myself except that mine looks good, tyvm
> 
> [EDIT]: One of my friends told me my hair looks like the German flag. goddamn.


	2. Anger

  1. ** My Inspiration**

Shirabu’s eyes widen – it’s a subtle movement, but Semi doesn’t fail to notice, ever the observant senpai. He scoffs and turns away, not wanting to look at either of them. It’s not his place to judge.

Yet, the way Shirabu watches Ushijima like a hawk, hanging on his every word, soaking them up without even questioning them, really irks him. He just wants the boy to think for himself – he’s got a pretty smart head on his shoulders after all.

It seems that Ushijima is Shirabu’s _everything_ – his idol, his determination, his inspiration, his sole focus on the court.

Semi supposes he can’t change that and subsequently will not ponder on it any further, no chance in hell. That doesn’t mean he has to like the sight of them together though.

  1. ** Never Again**

His face stings as if he’d just suffered a thousand pinpricks.

Carefully he raises his hand to his face, caressing the tender, probably red skin. It hurts, but not as much as he would have expected. He vaguely wonders if the shape of a hand is imprinted on his cheek.

The person in front of him – silently fuming until now – grabs him by his shirt and pulls him closer until their foreheads almost collide.

“Never say that again!” It sounds like they want to shout, but all that comes out is an angry whisper.

Tendou absentmindedly rubs his thumb over the sore spot on his face, but flinches when Semi’s hand shoots up to grab his wrist, squeezing until it almost hurts as much as his cheek.

“But it’s true, Semi. You of all people should know that,” his voice sounds calm and collected, a stark contrast to his inner turmoil.

“Don’t try to sell me that crap! You still have the chance to play, you’re a talented blocker, there’s literally no reason for you to give volleyball up now!” Semi’s other hand digs into his shoulder, slightly shaking him as if trying to wake him from a bad dream.

Tendou sighs; slowly and dragged out. “You have to know when to give up, Eita. I’ve already bid farewell to my paradise. Have you?”

The sound of skin upon skin fills the air once again.

  1. ** Online**

Reon exchanges a look with Semi, who’s seated beside him on Tendou’s bed. “It says right here that he’s online.” He holds up his phone, showcasing Yamagata’s contact pulled up and the chat messenger flashing green to show that he is – indeed – online.

Semi just shoots the device an uninterested look before focusing on calculus once again. “So what? It just means he’s found his phone again, no biggie,” he yawns to indicate his lack of enthusiasm about the matter at hand.

Someone clears their throat – it’s Tendou, occupying the space between Ushijima’s legs, cuddling comfortably against him. The other isn’t disturbed in the slightest. He holds up a phone; its clear case contains a photograph of Yamagata and his girlfriend.

The ash-blond raises one eyebrow. “Ok, so you’re online on his phone? Case closed. I don’t get your point.”

“No, Semi. You don’t understand. I don’t have the right charger for his phone. It’s been dead for _two days_.”

  1. ** Failure**

One simple loss doesn’t take away his title as one of the best aces in Japan. It doesn’t diminish his accomplishments, doesn’t rob him of his achievements.

It’s just such a weird feeling to lose for the first time in such an important match. This team, _his _team was destined to win; they were the best of the best. An unstoppable force to be reckoned with, a powerhouse school, a relentless opponent on and off the court.

Instead they were defeated by some school that most people hadn’t even heard of before, a school that had dragged itself out of burnt ashes.

It’s his failure, but it was a fair game nonetheless.

He can accept that.

  1. ** Breaking Away**

Graduation is such a weird thing.

You go to school for so long that you kind of forget how to function outside of it. There’s no safety net anymore, nothing to keep you from slipping away. It’s not his graduation, but it feels like it all the same.

Shirabu is clad in his neatest clothes, hair meticulously kempt and bangs in place. He doesn’t cry, unlike Goshiki who bawls his goddamn eyes out on Tendou’s shoulder while Semi tries to console him. Kawanishi is nowhere to be seen and Reon and Yamagata stand a few feet away from the crowd, talking quietly to one another.

That only leaves one person for him to find.

He leaves the stage behind in search of his former upperclassman. It’s not actually that hard to find him, not when he’s this tall, holding himself up with such a straight back that it almost seems unnatural. Shirabu waits until Ushijima finishes his talk with a teacher and turns around, taking him in.

“Shirabu,” his deep voice hums questioningly, “did you want something?”

He makes sure to keep eye contact, to not be distracted by Ushijima’s pure presence.

“Actually, yes. That is why I sought you out, senpai.” He continues without waiting for an answer. “Now that you’re no longer on our team, I’m not quite sure how to go on. With you we’ve lost our strongest asset, I just-“ He interrupts himself, twisting his hands and casting nervous looks back to the stage. Admitting his insecurities out loud made them all the more real.

Ushijima places a hand on his shoulder; it’s heavy and warm, but he doesn’t mind. “Shirabu,” the older boy continues seriously, “you have nothing to be afraid of. You will do great without me. Do not worry too much; you still have Goshiki as your ace. He is a lot to handle, but I am certain that you will make a great ace out of him someday. With you as the captain he will surely listen.”

For the first time, Shirabu seems to have lost his wit.

  1. ** Forever and a day**

“Our team will stay forever together, right?” Goshiki asks, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Obviously not, Goshiki. Really, why’d you even feel the need to ask tha-“ A hand is slapped on Shirabu’s mouth before he can even finish the sentence and Reon pops up out of nowhere.

“What Kenjiro here meant is that of course, we’ll stay together forever and a day. Am I right or am I right?” His eyes are full of kindness but the smile he shoots him certainly _isn’t_.

Shirabu just rolls his eyes. Honestly, this was ridiculous. He plays along nonetheless.

  1. ** Lost and Found**

“Bokuto-san, I don’t think we can just take him with us.”

Akaashi is quite in a pickle. Two puppy-eyed faces stare at him, but his resolve is firm. He isn't one to give in easily.

His ace – full of impulsive ideas and energetic charisma – shuffles closer to him, grabbing his hand and pouting ever so slightly. “Pretty please? Look, he’s so lost in this big city! We can’t leave him here. Right?”

He looks so goddamn proud of himself.

The kid beside him looks up at Bokuto and Akaashi is entirely certain that he doesn’t imagine the sparkle in his eyes. What had he introduced himself as? Hinata?

Akaashi is interrupted from his thought-process by another, smaller pair of fingers wrapping around his unoccupied hand, shaking it slightly. Hinata nods in sync with Bokuto’s elaborate explanation on why they should take the small orange-haired child with them, but Akaashi can’t really concentrate on any of it.

What good would it do for them to pick up a lost child? On the other hand, leaving him here all alone wasn’t a kind thing to do either. And it would catapult Bokuto right into one of his emo moods. Oh, the agony of choice.

He sighs and frowns at both of them, effectively cutting of their ongoing rambling.

Bokuto shoots him a hurt look, asking meekly, “Is that a no?”

Hinata obviously deflates at that.

God, he is so going to regret this.

“No,” he shakes his head. “You can come with us. I’ll see what we can do.”

  1. ** Light**

An indignant screech is the first thing that greets their ears when Matsukawa shines his flashlight into Oikawa’s eyes.

“Relax man, it’s just us,” they say in unison, Matsukawa fiddling with the device to turn the brightness down a notch. He just can’t find the goddamn button. Shrugging it off, he turns back to the opened door and Oikawa, clad in alien-patterned pyjamas.

Their setter squints at them, peeling off the face mask he hadn’t taken off before going to bed. Little pieces of algae cling to the edges of his hair. “What the heck are you doing at my house at like three in the morning?”

Hanamaki clears his throat to draw Oikawa’s attention to him once again and holds up a pair of keys, raising his eyebrows. He then proceeds to point at the car behind them.

“What? Are you trying to tell me you both stole a car?”

The dark-haired middle blocker just snorts. “No. Get in loser, we’re breaking into Iwaizumi’s.”

Hanamaki lightly slaps his shoulder. “But babe, it’s not considered breaking in if we have the keys.”

Sighing, Oikawa grabs the nearest jacket.

  1. ** Dark** **(Continuation of 28. Light)**

“Shit,” someone hisses. It’s a pained sound, closely followed by another string of curse words.

“Shut it already,” Oikawa whispers at either Mattsun or Makki – he honestly can’t tell. “He’s gonna know we’re here if you keep this up.”

“Well, why’s it gotta be so goddamn dark? Who the fuck has the flashlight?” The agitated whisper can only belong to Hanamaki. Oikawa turns his head to his left and grabs around blindly, hoping to find the other in the blackness of the… he can’t even tell which room they’re in at the moment. But instead of finding him, he knocks something over. It shatters on the ground. Loud.

Someone – probably Matsukawa – sighs, and it sounds resigned. “We’re so fucked. He keeps a baseball bat in his closet for that exact reason.”

There’s a lump in his throat and he suddenly feels sick. “And you’re just telling me that now?”

“Boys,” Hanamaki interjects, “As much as I enjoy the drama, can we continue this feud of yours outside?” There’s light spilling in from under the doorway, and Oikawa can vaguely make out Hanamaki pointing in this exact direction. “He’s here.”

  1. ** Faith**

“We believe in you.”

The volleyball bounces off the polished linoleum and rolls away, though not forgotten.

Ennoshita wistfully stares after it, a lost look clouding his eyes. “You probably shouldn’t,” he murmurs almost inaudibly. Almost.

His conversational partner sighs for what feels like the hundredth time. “Ennoshita, we’ve had this before. You’ll be a great captain. It’s already decided.”

At that the second year finally turns around, his fingers grasping the hem of his shirt. “But what if can’t do it right? What if I make a mistake, if I lead this team into ruin? It’s- I can’t do this, Daichi-san. I’m not the right person for this. You should choose someone else.”

Daichi patiently listens – it’s the least he can do for the troubled wing spiker. After the torrent of words spilling from Ennoshita’s mouth has died down, he cracks a smile at him. “You have a great team supporting you. Even if you do something wrong, which honestly no one can blame you for, they’ll have your back. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, you don’t have to do this on your own.”

  1. ** Colours**

A packet of semi-permanent hair colour lands on his bed right next to him. He looks up, already knowing whom to expect.

“I was so sure I had revoked you of your key-rights,” Semi dryly remarks before his eyes stray back to his textbook, filled to the brim with sticky notes and scribbled comments. “What’s this for?”

Tendou flops down, nudging the other around until he is seated comfortably. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re going to dye your hair!”

Semi hums, turning the page in response. “Oh really? And why is that?”

“Because,” the redhead squeals like an overexcited preteen that has just discovered the joys of shipping, “I really hate your current hair colour. And dye-job. It’s boring. And it looks emo.”

The bed creaks when Semi lifts the packet to examine it. “So you brought over hot pink?”

Tendou beams at him, his head bobbing up and down so hard that Semi is afraid it’ll come off any second now.

It doesn’t take him long to decide, though. “Let me grab a towel.”

  1. ** Exploration**

Tendou shoots him a message on Thursday. It just says _‘im bored’_ and he decides to ignore it, not thinking anything of it.

When Tendou doesn’t show up to class the following day he starts to worry – not that he’d admit that. Either way he supposes it won’t hurt to pay him a visit.

So he does just that. Knocking at the redhead’s door, he notices that it is slightly ajar and forgoes all manners, pushing inside and looking frantically around.

“Tendou?” His voice is high-pitched, and he’s so, _so_-

Then he notices the light spilling inside the dimly lit bedroom from the bathroom. Slowly the ash-blond creeps closer, pressing down the handle and peeking inside.

“Tendou? What are you doing there?” Quizzically he frowns at the middle blocker, located in the bathtub. The dry bathtub. Fully clothed.

“Semisemi,” Tendou’s crimson eyes stare right through him. “I may have been bored yesterday, but now I am out and about, exploring the wonders of my own spotless, endless mind.” He hums a familiar tune.

Leaning against the frame of the door he takes in the entire, weird situation and comes to one conclusion. “Are you high?”

“High on life. I am the stoner in the bathroom.” He nods sagely.

  1. ** Seeing Red**

“I’ve had it with you youngsters and your darned antics!”

He’s got quite a powerful voice for an old man with such a frail build. But then again, he _is_ called ‘Demon Coach’ for a reason, Tendou supposes.

That doesn’t keep him from neglecting the warning (is it really a warning?) though. As cool as ice he pulls the hood down to obscure his face and hops over the low fence dividing the area around the volleyball gym and campus. Old man was never gonna catch him.

Stuffing the treasure he stole – one of coach’s old loafers – in his pocket, he speeds up, but a branch catches in the hood of his sweater, pulling it off his head. His crimson hair flashes in the darkening sky, still visible enough to give him away.

Surely this was going to turn out okay. Coach would probably forget the whole thing in the morning.

Who was he kidding.

  1. ** Shades of Grey**

Literature, they call it. It’s popular, mainly along the second and third year girls. It’s passed on until it’s spread everywhere. They read it all the time; during class, break or in their free time.

Oddly enough, Hayato is the first amongst them to pick up the cursed book himself. His girlfriend had recommended it to him, and how could he say no to her? After the first few paragraphs he hands the book on to Satori, face beet red and furiously stuttering.

Tendou took delight in devouring it – in fact, he highlighted all his favourite _(scandalous) _passages, drawing crude doodles on the pages that he deemed interesting enough. It doesn’t even take him two lousy days to finish the book – quite a feat considering he hasn’t read a book _(no Satori, manga are not books) _in at least five years. He gift-wraps the book and its next victim is Eita.

Unsurprisingly, Eita is not amused. Not by the book itself, but more so by Anastasia’s actions, _goddamn it girl, you act as if you haven’t got a mind of your own, use your fucking head and think for yourself, this is completely illogical, why’s she fine with it?_ He huffs and puffs, but finishes it nonetheless, almost ruefully thrusting it into Oohira’s hands when he sees him the next time.

Oohira really tries to read it, really. He gives it his all, but it just doesn’t work. It’s not the literature he is used to. Wrinkling his nose, he pastes a post-it note on the cover of the book, explaining why he does not like it. Then he gives it to Wakatoshi.

The summary on the back of the book doesn’t contain the word _volleyball, _so Wakatoshi passes it on to Shirabu pretty quickly.

The setter accepts it with mild curiosity. He’s heard of the book, but he hasn’t expected it from Ushijima himself. He reads it. Reads it once again. Then, opening up a word document, he types out an essay on why he thinks the book is a horrible experience and should not be read. Nodding to himself, Shirabu folds and then tapes the essay _(6 pages) _inside the book. After that he shows up at Kawanishi’s door, leaving it there for him to find.

Kawanishi isn’t interested in the slightest. He takes one good look at the book and then at Goshiki, contemplating for a second. His face remains impassive, as usual. Finally he shakes his head, grabs a lighter and sets fire to this abomination.

He had done his good deed for the day.

  1. ** Forgotten**

The nervous energy surrounding him makes it impossible to forget that he’s there.

The rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the wooden bench, his agitated voice yelling out advices and tips, his unspoken words of _Switch me in, I want to play _lingering in the air.

Drawing attention to himself is one thing Semi’s good at.

He isn’t going to fade out like a burnt out light, no, he would definitely claim his spot on the court once again.

They daren’t forget that he’s watching, analysing, _scheming_. Shiratorizawa is full of monsters. Not all of them make it so obvious, though.

  1. ** Dreamer**

Shattered dreams and broken spirits is what Shiratorizawa thrives on. Crushing their opponents is just another mean to win – a price they are willing to pay in order to be the best.

After all, no one attends Shiratorizawa hoping to get second place. No, you come to Shiratorizawa because you are convinced of yourself.

So when he stands in front of the pearly gates for the first time and breathes in deeply, not knowing his dreams will get shattered one day, everything is perfect.

  1. ** Mist**

Early morning is Semi’s favourite time of the day. Tendou isn’t awake yet and the air is crisp, unconsumed, especially during winter.

Fog often swirls across Shiratorizawa’s campus, turning it into a mystical, unknown place. He is old enough to neglect the boundaries set by the curfew and he makes full use of that fact, visiting the vending machines at the rising of the sun and ordering plain black, hot coffee, settling down with his beverage on one of the school’s many benches located in the adjacent park and watching the birds wake up and the fog start to lift.

As soon as the first students start wandering around he would draw back into his dorm.

And when the rumours of a ghost made of mist and dew, haunting the school in the early hours of dawn, start spreading, he only smiles to himself and keeps quiet.

  1. ** Burning**

Tendou invites Ushijima over to his and Semi’s room exactly once. Not because he dislikes him or anything. Semi had just forbidden him to do so. It’s honestly a funny story, even if Semi doesn’t think so.

The setter – yes, it was quite a while ago – was out for the day, doing god knows what. Fact is, he wasn’t there.

And Tendou was terribly, _horribly_ bored. It was all Semi’s fault, to be fair, for leaving him alone, unsupervised for an entire Saturday afternoon.

So who could blame him when he invited Ushijima over? And who could blame him when he wanted to cook them dinner?

Shiratorizawa’s dorms had a lot of luxuries, but a fully functional kitchen wasn’t one of them, so he had snuck in a microwave. A dysfunctional one, alright.

How was he supposed to know that it – the ramen – would catch fire? Okay, he didn’t add water, so what? And who would have guessed that Ushijima would pry the burning the cup out of the microwave, effectively burning his hands and leading to the entire team getting scolded.

Sheesh, not everything was always his fault.

  1. ** Out of Time**

They lost.

This was their last year, their last chance.

Some things weren’t meant to last.

  1. ** Knowing How**

“I could teach you a trick or two, you know.” Semi twirls the ball around in his hand, balancing it on one finger. He knows he’s showing off, but damn him if he doesn’t.

Shirabu scoffs at him, picking up his water bottle and taking a deliberately slow sip from it, wiping his hand over his mouth afterwards. “With all due respect, Semi-san,” he remarks, his tone strident, “I’d rather die.”

“Fucking brat,” Semi turns around and strides back over to where he is supposed to practice his serves. He sure as hell isn’t going to let this drag down his mood.

And maybe he smiles a little when he sees Shirabu fail his jump serve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm not tooo happy w/ this, maybe i'm gonna edit this later. But y'all, i'm on a roll!!
> 
> Holidays are just around the corner, so i'll probably try to finish these prompts during my free time. lmao, i have a test in Latin coming up tomorrow, gotta go study now.
> 
> also, don't do drugs, kids.


	3. Bargaining

  1. ** Fork in the Road**

Despite tearful promises and the exchange of phone numbers, they all drift apart.

Some people just are too different to work out in the end.

And besides volleyball, they really have nothing in common.

So why does it make him feel this bad? Like he lost something peculiar, something special?

  1. ** Start**

“We have to start somewhere,” Reon nonchalantly announces when they hold their weekly meeting for the first time in what feels like forever. They all nod along seriously, though it seems that Tendou only does it out of spite, exaggerating the motion and making it look almost comical.

Semi whacks him over the head with a flat hand.

Yamagata eyes them with a withering look, serious for once. He acts as if his life depends on it.

Which it – coincidentally – also does.

“Come on, guys,” he whines. “Take this seriously. If I fail this project, they’re gonna force me to take tutoring which means I won’t be able to play volleyball.”

Tendou snickers and nudges Ushijima with his elbow, although the latter hardly feels the gesture.

Instead he rivets on Yamagata again, pondering about what their libero just said. “That would be unfortunate."

  1. ** Nature’s Fury**

He sighs. “Which one of you absolute idiots wanted to stay longer?”

The rain is pouring down, hard. But it’s all okay, they’re in the safety of the gym. Going home after practice? Who needs that. This is prime team-bonding time.

Not that there are a lot of them – it’s really just Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

Hinata starts raising his hand but Kageyama slaps it away and sends him an unreadable look. The little middle blocker stares right back at him, but doesn’t dare say anything.

Yamaguchi clears his throat to resolve some of the tension, but it only makes it worse. As if wanting to comfort his best friend he starts patting Tsukishima’s shoulder, who in turn has taken off his glasses and started rubbing his temples.

“This is so fucking ridiculous; I can’t believe I’m stuck here with _you_ of all people. No offense, Yamaguchi.”

“None taken,” the brunette hums, smiling sweetly.

But Hinata and Kageyama aren’t listening anymore – they’re not even there anymore.

Perplexed he watches two small, colourful blobs race across the field, all the while screaming at each other.

Fuck those two, he is _not_ going to do that and possibly catch pneumonia.

  1. ** At Peace**

“You look better today, Semisemi!” Tendou’s excited chattering is the first thing he hears when he opens his dorm at exactly 7:34 that morning. But instead of immediately expressing his distaste at the other’s happiness despite it being early fucking morning he allows himself to smile softly.

“Thank you,” he says, although he knows the redhead’s comment isn’t really meant as a compliment, more as a jab – a weak one at that.

“What made you change your mind?”

Semi knows what he’s talking about – why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t that long ago that he’s lost his place to Shirabu and to be fair, it had dragged him down quite a lot.

But the former setter wasn’t one to give up quickly, no, small setbacks like this only fuelled his spirit, and he certainly was determined to win his spot as a regular back.

“Well, there’s only one way for me now, isn’t there?”

Tendou nods, although there’s a confused shine to his eyes. “I suppose so? Anyway, I’m glad you’re not so moody anymore – geez, that was annoying! You were worse than during your emo phase!”

He laughs and sprints the last few metres to Ushijima’s room, a cursing Semi on his heels. 

  1. ** Heart Song**

Shirabu is the first of them to notice it – it’s so quiet that you are more likely to miss it. Yet, his ears are quite good and he’s very perceptive, so nothing really ever slips past him.

Semi is the second; relishing the soft voice and humming along himself, and then even providing a fast-paced beat; years of playing the drums had paid off in the end after all.

Reon and Yamagata have different ways of interpreting the sweet tune – the former swaying to the music while the latter turns it into an impromptu air guitar-solo, high-fiving Semi afterwards.

Tendou somehow convinces both Ushijima and Goshiki to dance. He probably mentioned something about a competition, because that was all these airheads needed. Nevertheless, it is a funny enough sight.

Yet, no matter how much they coax and bribe him, Kawanishi won’t get out of the shower.

  1. ** Reflection**

_There’s a monster at the end of the stairs, _Semi muses. _And sometimes it wears his face. _

Tendou, a printed-out mask of Semi’s face obscuring his own, had somehow ambuscaded him on his way to the library. How he’d known what route Semi would take was a mystery to him.

Never mind, that was the least of his worries. The knife Tendou was wielding seemed to be the more pressing matter at hand.

Sighing he shot one last look at his ‘best friend’ and then turned on his heels; fleeing probably was the safer option.

  1. ** Perfection**

The first years only stare in awe at him and the second years swoon when he strides by (which isn’t too often; why would he spend his time on the second floor?), craning their necks out of their classrooms to catch a glimpse of him. It’s mainly the girls, but a few of the boys seem to be lovestruck as well. The looks he gets range from jealous to admiring to outright enamoured; the letters he receives are no different. Things like “Senpai, you are the most beautiful person I know”, “Please have my children” and “Don’t even look at my girlfriend, fucker” are nothing rare nowadays.

And he knows it. It is no secret that Semi’s one of the prettiest students currently on campus – the yearbook even lists him as “most likely to win a beauty pageant”.

Of course, most people only ever visit their games because of miracle boy Ushijima Wakatoshi, but Semi apparently has gained popularity as well. And probably not because of his performance on the court.

Tendou would love to pay good money to see their expressions upon seeing picture-perfect pretty boy Semi Eita cussing out their newest addition to the team.

  1. ** Everyday Magic**

Why do they even own a fucking Ouija board?

Oikawa questions his sanity every single time he decides to hang out with Mattsun and Makki – they aren’t bad people per se, but they have the worst ideas ever.

Like summoning a ghost. At 3 AM. On a Wednesday night. They have class at 7 the following day.

Yet here they are, Matsukawa clad in a dark purple robe and holding the aforementioned board while Hanamaki wears bright yellow rain boots and a slicker (_it hasn’t rained in two months_), carrying three blood-red candles.

“What’s up, fucker,” they greet him in unison, ominous smirks adorning their faces. If they didn’t look so different you could probably mistake them for really creepy twins.

Oikawa really just wants to slam his door in their faces, but before he can actually follow through with his plan Matsukawa has conjured forth something silvery, shiny from the depths of his pocket. That hideous thing has pockets? Well, at least it is practical.

Hanamaki smiles at him. It could’ve been charming if he didn’t show so much teeth. “That thing’s for contacting aliens.”

Well now he is sold.

  1. ** Umbrella**

Shirabu clutches his head in his hands as if in pain. Why do good people always have the worst luck?

First it starts raining on his way to school, the one and only time he forgets his umbrella and now this. He contemplates running away for a second but discards the thought pretty fast. The last thing he wants is to catch a cold. And – besides the atrocious singing – it’s pretty comfortable under Tendou’s umbrella.

He’d met the middle blocker a few minutes along his way and at first he was glad. The other seemed to be in a good mood and he was kind enough to share his umbrella with him, never turning down the opportunity to prove that he was indeed a good and fair senpai.

But then he’d started singing and it all went down the drain. At first it was quiet – just a whispered “_When the sun shines, we shine together, told you I'll be here forever_”, and then at the top of his voice “_You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh_”.

The shelter from the rain really isn’t worth the attention they get from the other pedestrians.

  1. ** Party**

Yamagata barges right inside – no knocking, no anything. “I _knew_ you guys were having a party without me!” He yells triumphantly.

Semi, in the middle of hanging up a banner while standing on a ladder, wobbles dangerously and seems close to falling off, but Reon secures it and steadies him. “Thanks,” he mumbles quietly.

Tendou, clad in an apron and holding a whisk, pops out of the kitchen and greets the libero lazily.

“So,” Yamagata clears his throat and counts his friends. He can see Semi, Reon and Tendou, but where’s Ushijima? “What were ya preparing before? Something for valentine’s day? Oh!” His eyes light up as if he’s had an epiphany. “You were about to invite your girlfriends, right? This is a group date!”

Semi and Tendou exchange a confused look. “You know we’ve been dating for a year now, right?”

The libero waves his hand as if to dismiss that fact. “You two don’t count!” But then he takes a closer look at the banner Semi’s holding up. It spells out ‘Happy Seventeenth, Haya-chan!’ and his grin widens even more. He turns to Reon. “So Haya’s like your girlfriend, right?”

Now Reon gets in on the whole exchange-a-confused-glance business. Honestly, he feels left out. “Yamagata,” the other says slowly, like he’s stupid or something. “Do you know what day it is?”

“Oh yeah, of course. It’s valentine’s day, duh.” Proudly he gives himself a pat on the back.

“I mean yeah, that’s true, but,” Semi falters for a second, his face bewildered. “It’s also your birthday, you know?

“Oh.”

Then the door opens once again and Ushijima steps in, a baseball bat in his hands. “Tendou, I must inform you of the bad news.” He apparently hasn’t noticed Yamagata yet. “I cannot find Yamagata and knock him out cold to drag him here so he will wake up as we pour hot honey on his unconscious body, as you suggested.”

  1. ** Troubling Thoughts**

There was a goddamn ring on the fourth finger of Semi’s left hand.

Tendou scowls; annoyance – or probably disdain at the infuriating idea that s_omeone _had gifted Semi this particular piece of jewellery – contorting his face. It isn’t uncommon for Semi to wear jewellery. He has, in fact, multiple piercings decorating his ears that he only really takes out for volleyball or gym class.

So it probably shouldn’t be that surprising to see a ring on his slim, long fingers. It’s just that he’s _literally_ never spotted a ring on Semi’s hands, so it’s kind of weird for him to start wearing one now, right? Not that it doesn’t look good – its metallic sheen reflects off in the dimmed light of the late afternoon, the silver colour complementing his rather cold skin tone and it’s elegant enough to not come across as tacky.

He averts his eyes and trains his gaze on something less upsetting – like the sight of Goshiki assaulting Ushijima for what must be the millionth time today. The scene that unfolds in front of him – starring Goshiki, bright-eyed and never letting an opportunity to impress the ace pass, and Ushijima, seemingly unbothered but nevertheless disgruntled – never fails to bring a smile to his lips. If it is a sarcastic one; well, they don’t need to know.

Until his ears pick up the hushed whispers passed on between the offender himself and Reon. “Your ring is very pretty,” the latter murmurs earnestly and he sees Semi’s face light up with something akin to pride.

“Thanks,” he remarks, holding his hand up and spreading his fingers to examine its gleam. The redhead grinds his teeth but holds his tongue. And besides, Semi isn’t done talking and he really wants to know who’s tried to court Semi. Just, y’know, because he is curious. That’s all.

“It was a gift, actually.”

So he had been right all along.

“Mum said it was some kinda heirloom. It belonged to my grandma before.”

Oh. So he doesn’t need to scheme some elaborate plan to make the ring disappear after all.

  1. ** Stirring of the Wind**

No one had ever seen Kageyama laugh. Smile? Sure, even though it was a creepy one. Smirk? Yeah, often. But never laugh.

Yet the setter couldn’t contain the laughter bubbling up inside him and finally spilling from this mouth.

“Shut up, Bakageyama!” Hinata shushed him, glaring angrily at the black-haired first year. Well, as angry as he could.

Kageyama just wheezed on, oblivious to his companion’s struggles. It kind of sounded like a dying animal.

Hinata scoffed and tried kicking him in the shin. “It’s all your fault! Why’d we have to train outside anyways? The wind just blew the ball into my face! That’s all!”

  1. ** Future**

“Let’s get married in the future, Wakatoshi-kun,” Tendou hums on this particular afternoon, clutching the ace’s hands in his own.

They’re currently located on the school’s rooftop. How they got up there? No one knows, to be fair. Should they be up there? Probably not.

Ushijima gives a noncommittal grunt, but doesn’t pull his hands away. “If that’s what you want, of course.”

Tendou chuckles, turning towards him. “Just kidding. But let’s adopt a child, yeah?”

The other thinks about the proposal for a moment. “I do not see a problem with that.”

  1. ** Health and Healing**

Reon shakes his head while he wraps the tape around Tendou’s hand, pulling it tighter than strictly necessary. “You,” and with that he jabs his index finger into Tendou’s chest, “need to take better care of your hands.

His companion just nods, not taking this serious at all. “Gotcha, Reon. Don’t worry, though.” He flashes him a peace-sign and then immediately winces when it hurts.

Reon just sighs and turns around only to be face to face with none other than Semi.

Said setter holds his hands out to him as well – they’re raw and red and bruised. He smiles sheepishly. “Can you bandage mine as well?”

  1. ** Separation**

There’s a note taped to his door, right beside the nametag that marks this room as his own. Semi plucks it off and takes it inside with him, scanning the meticulous handwriting and trying to decipher who it’s from.

_It’s 3 am and my hands are shaking once again. They’ve been doing that a lot lately, and I can’t figure out why. It makes me drop things randomly. It honestly means no good for me as a setter. You’re probably asking yourself why I would even be awake at 3 am, right? I set an alarm, specifically to think about you. I reserved some time of my day, just to spend it thinking about you and trying to figure out how to deal with this - us. Does that make me crazy? It kind of annoys Kawanishi, but he never dares to say anything to my face. In the dim light of my lamp I see the outline of my trembling fingers. It reminds me of our first kiss. Do you remember how much my hands were shaking, before you leaned towards me and stole my first kiss? I remember. It was your first kiss too, after all. You told me so afterwards. It wasn’t the first kiss described in movies and books; no, it was soft and hesitant, nothing more than a short peck to the lips, but perfect nonetheless. It still comes to my mind, now and then. _

_I get up, the floorboard under my feet cracking ever so slightly, my warm feet hitting the cold wood. It sounds so much like when you used to come to my room at night and leave shortly after as to not raise any suspicions. I don’t care. Opening my window, I let the cool, crisp air of this October night into my room. Goosebumps are forming on my arms. Even if I will get a cold from this, I do not care. My body became worthless after it – we – ended, nothing more than an object to be desired. It was just a way to get what I wanted, anyway. _

_Taking the screen out of the frame isn’t that hard. I did it before, and I can do it now, even with trembling fingers. When the screen finally pops out of the frame, I hesitate and turn around. The blanket and the book are on my table. Grabbing those two items, I head to the window again, and climb out. The flat roof is directly beneath me. The cold air tears through my skin, I can see my breath, white in front of the obsidian sky, only visible because of the streetlights. _

_I lay the blanket on the ground, and while I unfold it I take out both the matches and cigarettes I hid in there, not to be found by anyone. Kawanishi got them for me. He didn’t ask any questions, but he shot me a pitying look. Settling down I take one between my shivering fingers, and light it. I don’t smoke, no. Instead I open the book and press down the smouldering end, leaving burn marks behind. Do you remember this book? I do. I kept it, after all. It’s still filled to the brim with our pictures.  
_

_I wanted to watch the stars with you, but you always left before the clouds parted. You never told me why. What were you afraid of?_

_Now that it’s getting colder again, the stars are painfully pretty and perfectly visible._

A tear drips onto the paper and makes it wrinkle ever so slightly.

  1. ** Everything for You**

“I don’t mind if it’s you,” he says one afternoon in autumn. The trees have just started to shed their leaves and the ground looks like one giant patchwork blanket. “I don’t mind if I get used by you,” he clarifies when Eita sends him a questioning look.

“What the fuck, Kenjiro,” the other retorts, tugging at their conjoined hands and running his thumb over the other’s knuckles. They’re surprisingly soft for a setter, but then again Kenjiro’s always taken good care of his hands. “You should,” he mumbles in his scarf.

He looks aside, but his brows are furrowed and he’s picking up the pace. “You’re right,” he finally says and Eita is almost relieved. “But I trust you, so I don’t really care.”

The older draws him a little closer and buries his face in the Kenjiro’s hair. “I would never use you.” He shudders at the thought.

“I never said you would. I just said I wouldn’t mind.”

“And that’s what scares me, Kenjiro.

They continue their walk in silence.

  1. ** Slow Down**

Surprisingly, Tendou is the first one to give up.

“Just leave me behind,” he says and it sounds so out of breath. “Leave me here to die.” He’s pouting as he plops down onto the pavement, but no one really pays him any attention. Well, except Reon.

The wing spiker pulls to a stop beside him and rests his hand on his thighs, panting. “I think I’ll keep you company for the time being,” he says, smiling at Tendou.

Shirabu is the next one to give up – at first he really tried to keep pace with Ushijima, but their ace must be some kind of relentless machine, showing no sign of exhaustion. The setter braces himself on a street lamp, his face beet red and sweaty. He clings to the damn thing as his life depends on it.

Kawanishi snickers a few feet in front of him but slows down as well, crossing his arms and sparing him only a glance. “That’s it then.”

Shirabu only nods as they watch the four remaining members keep going.

Competing with Ushijima hadn’t been a good idea as Goshiki now realises. He’s seeing things twice and black spots dot the corners of his eyes. Semi must have noticed his misery – or just his sluggish movements – because he grabs the younger boy’s arm and steadies him before leading him to a bench, making him sit down and then running off to grab a bottle of water from the nearest convenience store.

Goshiki tries apologizing but Semi is having none of it – instead he assures him that it’s no problem that they lost the other two. He sits down beside Goshiki and pats the other’s back. “You were pretty good,” he praises him and watches the flames in the wing spiker’s eyes awaken.

Yamagata taps Ushijima on the shoulder to grab his attention. When their ace turns around he points behind him, where the rest of the team should’ve been. “Maybe we should slow down?” He suggests.

The other sighs.

  1. ** Heartfelt Apology**

He opens his phone and for a moment all he can see is hell.

Never mind, it’s just a message from Tendou.

Semi swipes left to unlock the device and reads the message.

**[From: Tendou] ** _im so sowwy!! uwu _

**[From: Tendou] ** _pwease accept my apowogy _

_ok  
_

**[From: Tendou] ** _you awe so kwind uwu_

_stop this  
_

**[From: Tendou] ** _why shwouwd i owo_

_bc our friendship means something to you?  
_

**[From: Tendou] **0k4Y 1’LL S70P JU57 F0R Y0U

Frustrated he throws the phone onto his bed, but it bounces off and – with a crack – lands on the floor. Goddammit.

  1. ** Challenged**

Goshiki is completely _devastated. _He’s crying. The goddamn kid is bawling his eyes out.

Shirabu sighs – he’s done it so often the last few hours that it’s become a habit. “Look,” he says and Goshiki’s red, hopeful eyes turn towards him. “You literally just add x and y. You can do simple addition, right? All you need to do is add the 23 to the 70.”

Gnawing on the inside of his cheek, Goshiki seemingly is lost in thought. “I don’t have my calculator with me,” he finally admits.

The setter bangs his head on the table.

  1. ** Exhaustion**

Tendou opens his messenger app again and again but the text doesn’t change. It doesn’t magically become something else.

**[From: Semisemi <3] ** _i’m so sorry tendou, but i can’t do this anymore. the last weeks of our relationship have been pretty exhausting for me and i don’t know why. it’s just so hard to get yourself in the state of actually being motivated to fix something. it’s really not your fault. we just don’t fit together and i don’t know how good it is to force something like that. _

He does not cry and he does not feel his heart shatter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For #57 I actually compared their statistics (stamina) so youre welcome 
> 
> enjoy the insight into my soul :)


	4. Sarcasm

  1. ** Accuracy**

His first serve knocks over the bottle set up on the other side of the court and he can feel the adrenaline rush through his body.

For the first time in months he truly feels alive.

He jumps up once again, the ball connecting with his palm, and uses all of his strength to send it flying over the net. His sneakers squeak against the floorboard as he touches down and he smugly watches the ball sail over every hurdle and hindrance.

Someone on the sideline claps slowly and Semi whirls around to face them. Alas, it’s only Tendou.

But instead of saying something, the other just throws another ball at him which he catches in his left hand, twirling it around. He wants to retort something, but Tendou doesn’t let him. He takes position on the opposite side of the net. They’re all alone in the spacious, still brightly lit gym.

And they stay alone all whilst the stars shine and the deep night turns into early morning.

  1. ** Irregular Orbit**

Yamagata squints up at the moon. They just finished training for the day and pretty much everyone is beat, even Goshiki. “What the fuck is that?” He asks.

Looking up as well Reon sees nothing out of the ordinary. “I believe that is the moon. Are you alright?

“No- I mean yeah, but-“ Yamagata wildly waves his hands around, almost hitting Kawanishi in the face, but luckily his fast reflexes save him and he dodges out of the way the last second- “doesn’t the moon seem like, I dunno, really close to you guys?”

Semi and Reon share a concerned look, and he can hear something like ‘Now he’s finally lost his marbles’ coming from their direction. Questioning he turns to Ushijima and Tendou, who’ve been miraculously quiet.

Ah, that was the reason why. Ushijima had been carrying a snoozing Tendou all along. It would be a heart-warming sight if it wasn’t for Tendou drooling on the other’s arm while Shirabu shot him murderous glances.

“Ushi, doesn’t it seem closer to you?”

The addressed tries to shrug but fails miserably.

Then, right beside him, someone clears their throat, “The moon illusion is an optical illusion which causes the moon to appear larger near the horizon than it does higher up in the sky. It has been known since ancient times and recorded by various cultures. The explanation of this illusion is still debated.” Kawanishi expectantly looks at him. Well, as expectantly as he can with half-lidded eyes. But seriously, was that guy Wikipedia or something? 

He nods, settling for such a banal answer. It feels anticlimatic, but if his super smart underclassman doesn’t know, then who does?

  1. ** Cold Embrace**

He encounters Goshiki during the early hours of dawn just outside of their gym. It’s his turn to unlock the building and Jin had entrusted him with the key the day prior.

It’s freezing cold and, judging by blue tint of the younger boy’s lips, he’d been sitting here for quite a while.

“Goshiki?” He almost startles when he hears his voice come out as a croak; it’s husky and the air in front of his mouth clouds immediately, white smoke rising towards the sky.

Goshiki clumsily raises his head – he seems so tired, that Shirabu kind of feels sorry for him. But instead of answering he just shivers violently, seemingly nodding off again.

Instantaneously he grabs the cuff of Goshiki’s jacket and pulls him up. Fishing the key out of his pocket he opens the door and drags the semi-conscious boy with him in the direction of the changing rooms.

Shirabu pushes the door open and it hits the wall with full force. “Get out of your clothes and change,” he commands and surprisingly, Goshiki doesn’t try to protest. He does what he’s told, but it’s so slow that Shirabu helps to speed the whole process up. When he’s done he lets the boy sit down on a bench.

“Listen, you’ll stay right here. I’ll get you a hot chocolate or something and after that you’ll take a fucking hot shower. If you were to take one now, you would probably keel over. So don’t even think about it.”

It’s too early to reprimand the boy for his stupid, thoughtless behaviour. Instead he does just what he’d promised, grabbing the drink and a coffee for himself from a nearby vending machine and hurrying back.

When he lets himself in through the door he finds Goshiki cuddled up on the bench, his long limbs awkwardly hanging off. It doesn’t seem very comfortable, but the other is fast asleep. “Idiot,” he murmurs as he checks Goshiki’s temperature, draping his jacket over the sleeping boy and then settling down himself. And maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t push away Goshiki’s cold hands when they find their way to his own.

  1. ** Frost** **(Continuation of 63. Cold Embrace)**

He hears a snort and a clicking nose which make him wake with a start. Wait, he’d been sleeping? Shirabu carefully eyes his surroundings; yes, there was Goshiki sleeping on the bench, their two discarded cups on the floor next to one of the legs of the bench, their jackets tangled up in a huddle on the floor and Semi, who definitely hadn’t been here before.

The older boy has brandished his phone in one hand – he’d most likely just taken a picture, goddammit – and holds his mouth shut with his other one. He laughs quietly, shaking his head in the process which makes bits of snow that previously clung to his hair fall off. It looks like dandruff, if Shirabu’s honest with himself, but sadly the particles are too big and melt right away, so he can’t really bring that up.

Speaking of snow… He turns toward the window, hoarfrost covering the glass and obscuring his view, and watches thick snowflakes descend onto the earth.

In the meantime, Semi has stepped closer and sat down next to Goshiki, lightly running his hands through the jetblack hair. “He alright?”

Shirabu hums noncommittedly, not wanting to deign Semi an actual answer.

“Maybe he shouldn’t play today,” the other mentions casually, putting the back of his hand against Goshiki’s forehead. “He’s burning up.”

Shirabu curses his bad luck.

  1. ** A Moment in Time**

There are exactly two pictures on Kenma Kozume’s wall, just above his bed. They’re both polaroids and they’re both blurry – but the subjects couldn’t be any more different.

One features night; it’s dark blue and black. It showcases Kenma and a taller, dark-haired boy sitting close to one another, sharing a blanket and drinking some sort of beverage out of mugs. Both boys seem to be around 10 or 11 years old, and while Kenma is awkwardly looking away from the camera, the other grins at it, a milk moustache on his face.

The other one features day; it’s bright and orange. Once again, two boys are visible. But in this photograph Kenma is a few years older, maybe around 17. He and the other boy are close to each other, looking at something on the phone in his hand. The other boy has thrown his arms in the air and seems to be in the middle of explaining something while Kenma smiles softly.

They’re his favourite pictures.

  1. ** Dangerous Territory **

Their outing had been fun, despite all their differences. When Semi had called him, his arch nemesis _(was that too dramatic?),_ up to spend some time together, he hadn’t expected it to be this calming. He’d been nervous the entire two-hour train ride there, but it was all worth it in the end.

He’d invited Shirabu, for whatever reason, to visit him at his college and catch up with each other. Semi had changed a lot during his first year of college _(Japanese Lit, Shirabu reminded himself) _and they had buried the hatchet. Literally. The other had asked him to buy a fake plastic hatchet and together they had buried it in the park nearby. The sneers and mean comments had turned into friendly jabs.

As of right now they’re actually on their way to Semi’s dorm. It’s a cute little building, ivy twining artistically around the window frames and letting only a glimpse of the red brick wall shine through.

Semi swipes a card through the card reader and the door beeps, indicating that it’s unlocked. He pushes it open and gestures for Shirabu to enter first. Then he leads the way through a narrow corridor before stopping in front of a door labelled 033.

He unlocks this door as well – this time with an actual key, but suddenly freezes in the entryway.

Shirabu peeks around Semi’s broad frame and is met with the sight of… Tendou and Kawanishi?

They’re squatting on the floor, wearing matching hoodies and sweatpants, aviator sunglasses perched up high on their noses. 

“You came to the wrong neighbourhood, motherfuckers.”

  1. ** Boundaries**

“Eita, how much do you love me?” Tendou asks, idly laying on his bed and thumbing through a new issue of Shounen Jump. He looks at his boyfriend, who has reading glasses on and is currently skimming through a textbook.

“Why do you ask, Satori?” He retorts, taking off his glasses and laying them on the nightstand beside him, running a hand through his styled hair and messing it up in the process.

“Oh, just ‘cause, y’know,” he grins at Eita and it’s all cute and lovey-dovey. Then, pushing his own magazine away he crawls over to the other until their faces are only inches apart, scanning his face.

Eita isn’t perturbed in the slightest. “A lot,” he simply says and the issue is over for him.

“So you won’t mind if I do this, right?”

And before Eita can ask what ‘this’ is supposed to mean, the redhead licks him across the face.

“You’re so fucking disgusting.”

  1. ** Unsettling Revelations**

Reon ventures over to their table at lunch, as always, and puts his tray – filled with a healthy dose of both meat and vegetables, as well as a cup of tea – next to Semi’s. Then he pulls out the chair and sits down. “There we go,” he says, and no one pays him any real attention. Tendou and Semi are bickering, Ushijima is eating and Yamagata is checking something on his phone.

Reon takes a break during practice. It’s alright, coach has allowed them to do that. He grabs his bottle and casually strides over to where Shirabu and Kawanishi are seated on a bench, talking quietly to each other. As to not disturb them he chooses to leave a little space between them and him as he takes a seat. Then he hums, content, “There we go.”

Reon meets up with Goshiki after school to help him with his homework. It’s a tough quest, considering that their newest member seems to be resistant against learning. He puts his book on Goshiki’s desk and settles down on one of the chairs. “There we go.”

The team meets up and everyone is present, except Reon. But it’s alright, this is what they’d planned. “So,” Yamagata starts the conversation. “Doesn’t he say ‘There we go’ like, way too often?”

They all nod in agreement.

“It’s kind of creepy.”

  1. ** Shattered**

_Oh shit._

That describes their situation right now pretty well, actually.

It’s their first year and this is not what they want to end up getting known for amongst their peers. Not for demolishing the volleyball gym.

Semi and Tendou stare at one another, the former with worry and guilt contorting his face and the latter – well, it’s always hard to read Tendou’s expression right. He doesn't look too happy either, though.

They look back to the shattered window. It honestly was just an accident, they never meant to break it. But what done is, is done, no use lamenting over it.

And that’s how their friendship starts – by ignoring their problems, common sense and all morally right decisions.

  1. ** Bitter Silence**

“Traumatic brain injury,” the doctor says, and it sounds final.

‘What?’ He tries to ask, but all that comes out is a croak.

The doctor must have seen his confused expression, because he explains further. “Blunt trauma is a physical trauma to your head, in your case by a sports-related injury via a non-penetrating object. The net pole, if my memory serves me right.”

Shirabu doesn’t remember.

“You were lucky.” He scribbles something down on his notepad.

Shirabu shakes his head disbelievingly, tries to speak again, but nothing comes out. His throat hurts. His head hurts. Hell, everything does.

The doc continues as if nothing’s wrong. “We don’t really know why you can’t speak for now,” he adds, like he’s talking about the weather. “That’s why you’ll need to stay in the hospital overnight. You will be scanned tomorrow so we can clarify the extent of your injury.” Oh wow, now he looks pityingly at him. “It could very well be that you may not be able to speak again. Or continue to play volleyball.”

Shirabu feels like screaming would be an appropriate reaction.

  1. ** The True You**

Tendou comes barging in his room late at night. Curfew’s already started and all students _(at least the diligent ones)_ are asleep.

Semi sits up and rubs his eyes, tiredly. He, by no means, is a diligent student, but volleyball is just that exhausting. In no time his usual scowl complements his (really cute) bedhead and half-opened eyes.

“Eita, I just realized,” Tendou chirps breathlessly, still in the open doorway. “I’m neither straight nor gay. I’m fucking bisexual.”

The setter grabs his pillow and throws it vaguely in Tendou’s direction. “Shut the fuck up and go to bed, everyone already knows.”

  1. ** Pretense**

Hanamaki takes a long look at his best friend. “So why do you wanna do this again? Not that I’m opposed to the idea,” he quickly adds when he sees Matsukawa’s face fall. “But like, why now?”

Matsukawa ponders the question for quite a bit before he seemingly comes to a conclusion. “I want to infiltrate Oik’s and Iwa’s date but I can’t do that on my own so I need a date myself to propose the idea of a double date.”

Hanamaki mentally counts how often he said ‘date’ in that last sentence. “So we have to fake date?” The strawberry-blond finally asks.

“So we have to fake date.”

  1. ** Patience**

Bokuto is getting restless.

Akaashi can tell it by the way his eyebrows scrunch up as if he’s in thought and the frantic motions of his head, searching endlessly for an opening, a chance to score and hog the limelight.

It’s only a matter of time now.

All they have to do now is to use Bokuto-san’s weakness, his impatience, for their benefit.

  1. ** Midnight**

It’s dark. It’s just so, _so_ dark.

He’s never been afraid of the absence of light, but he’s also not fond of it. It makes him uneasy, makes him feel as if there’s something lurking in the shadows, waiting for one simple misstep.

It’s never been a problem at home, Goshiki recalls. Back there he always had a lamp lighting up the darkness of his room when nighttime set. Sure, it wasn’t very grown-up of him, but it was better than losing sleep.

But his roommate can’t sleep with the lights on, so _he’s_ the one missing out on the sweet release of unconsciousness.

Goshiki whimpers when something touches his foot and draws the blanket over his head.

Nighttime couldn’t last forever.

  1. ** Shadows **

They follow him everywhere. They taunt him.

Yamaguchi can feel their blazing gazes on his back, can hear them whisper mean things, can see their mocking faces whenever he tries to sneak a glance at them.

He just wants it to stop. Wants them to stop. To go away. Doesn’t want to hear their words anymore.

Back at home he tries hiding his freckles with his mom’s concealer, looks in the mirror and deems it good enough.

It never is.

They always follow him.

  1. ** Summer Haze**

The whole team lays on the – somewhat cold – gym floor, completely spent for once. Neither Goshiki nor Ushijima have the energy to even utter another word. It’s just too hot, too humid.

Apparently coach Washijou doesn’t think so, but then again, Tendou’s read somewhere that old people experience extreme weather situations differently.

“Get up, yer incompetent buffoons!” He yells at them, wagging his finger in the air as if that will motivate them. No chance in hell they’re getting up anytime soon, unless an ice-cream truck pulls up right outside.

Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but Tendou swears he can hear the distant tune of one coming closer. He closes his eyes and wipes one sticky, sweaty hand across his brow, pushing wet hair aside in the process.

Someone next to him snores softly and lazily he opens one eye. It’s just Ushijima.

  1. ** Memories**

Eita’s lock screen is a picture of a little girl with raven-black hair, smiling sweetly at the camera and holding out a bouquet of flowers to the person taking the picture. Her hair is up in two tiny ponytails, which are kept together by floral-patterned hair ties and she is missing one of her incisors. Next to her is another girl around her age, this time with bright orange hair and dark-brown eyes. They’re cute, to say the least.

The setter sees Satori staring at it and raises his eyebrow. “What?” He asks.

“Oh, is nothing,” he replies easily. “Just wondered why you took a picture of two random kids?” It’s not meant as a question but his voice goes up anyway.

“That’s Eiko and Natsu-chan, you fucking dumbass,” the ash-blond scowls as if he’d never heard anything stupider, which was hard to imagine if you knew Tendou Satori that well. “My little sister and her best friend.”

Tendou doesn’t even dare mention the fact that Semi’s home screen is a picture of Shirabu and Goshiki cuddled up on a bench.

  1. ** Change in the Weather (Continuation of 76. Summer Haze)**

“When I said I wanted the weather to change,” Tendou drawls on, oblivious to his teammates bored faces – or maybe he just doesn’t care. “I meant like, I want the heat to go away. But this-“ to underline the statement he points at the window, where fist-sized objects collide with the glass –“this isn’t what I wanted at all!”

Semi cants the window a bit and catches one of the objects coming down from the sky. It immediately starts melting in his hand, but the coolness is a welcome change. “Kind of weird for hailstones to be this big,” he mutters.

Kawanishi, their local expert for meteorology, begins his explanation unsolicitedly.

  1. ** Illogical**

Akaashi thought he’d analysed Bokuto-san in every possible way. Had noted down all of his weakness _(__#6: He loves to show off, #37 If he becomes too fixated on one thing, he'll completely forget how to do anything else) _and calculated every possible way to get him out his slumps.

So when Bokuto-san shows up on his doorstep one morning with a bunch of what seem to be gloxinias, he doesn’t comprehend.

And when the older boy presses them into his hands and then sets off, he can only stare after him.

  1. ** Only Human**

Tendou pats Ushijima’s back while Goshiki watches, aghast. “What do you mean?” The first years finally asks the question that plagued his mind all along. “Ushijima-senpai is… exhausted?”

Tendou nods seriously. “He is, Tsutomu. And it’s all your fault.”

Goshiki pales at that, bowing so deep his head almost touches the ground and stumbling over his words in order to apologize profusely. He didn’t mean to, didn’t want to- He…

Having noticed the predicament Goshiki has gotten himself into, Semi casually strides over. “Don’t plant any weird ideas in his mind, Satori.” Turning to the young wing spiker, he adds, “It’s not your fault. Wakatoshi’s only human, after all.”

Tendou cackles loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i said i'd finish this in the next week, i meant it. i have kind of a lot of free time on my hands rn, so i wanna get this done. Not that i dont enjoy writing, but im getting tired of this and i have a few new ideas i wanna try out
> 
> and yes, i quoted wikipedia. multiple times. when i was younger i used to learn wiki articles that interested me by heart so i could recite them... it was odd to say the least. but hey, i was the kid that knew things, so i didnt mind


	5. Acceptance

  1. ** A Place to Belong**

Kawanishi puts down the book he’s been reading for the last few days and Semi tries to sneak a glance at the cover, but his kouhai has already tucked it away in the depths of his bag.

“I think I have it all figured out,” he announces, his voice serious.

Reon, who was just about to pull off his shirt, turns around to look at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“I finally know what houses you belong to. I have read all the books and taken notes to be able to sort you.”

Shirabu snorts, but Kawanishi continues, unperturbed by the disturbance.

“I’ll be your sorting hat. No, I’ll be better.”

Everyone had gathered around him at this point, Tendou being the one to hold Ushijima in place. Kawanishi pulls a battered notebook from the depths of his pocket and opens a seemingly random page. Then he clears his throat.

“Ushijima-san would be in Gryffindor, due to his impeccable braveness and also the fact that he never turns down a challenge. He has a pure heart and definitely knows his ambitions which he tries to accomplish through fair play.”

Ushijima seems neither pleased nor averse, but maybe he just doesn’t know Harry Potter. Kawanishi wouldn’t put it past him. But then the inevitable question comes.

“Would I be able to continue playing volleyball?” He looks so troubled.

Kawanishi shrugs. “I don’t really know? You could always play Quidditch. You would be a perfect Keeper, if you catch my drift.”

Their ace furrows his brows. “Maybe I will have to look into Quidditch.”

“Uh… yeah. Whatever. Semi-san would probably be a Slytherin, although I contemplated sorting him into Hufflepuff at first. He is a very good friend once you get to know him and he will never let you down, but he also does everything to achieve his goals.”

Semi just shrugs his shoulders. He honestly hadn’t expected anything different, and besides he’d already taken the test on the official website, which had identified him as exactly that – a Slytherin. He’s never really been bothered by it, even though it's classified as the ‘villain house’. Which, by the way, he thinks is stupid.

“Reon-san would be, no doubt, a Hufflepuff. He’s literally the sweetest guy to ever walk on earth and the best senpai ever, he’s helpful and loyal and patient and yada-yada, you get it. Too easy, moving on.”

A nice compliment, even if it was rushed like this one, never fails to bring a smile to Reon’s face. Everyone else nods – they really can’t imagine him being anything else.

“Tendou-san would be Slytherin as well. Cunning, mischievous, never up to any good. He’d probably kill a man if he had the chance to.”

Tendou just grins, neither denying nor affirming that statement. Then, as if their minds were synced, he and Semi exchange a high-five. “Told ya we’d get into the same house.”

“Yamagata-san would be a Gryffindor. With his hot-headed nature and natural charm, he’d fit right in. He has a strong heart and stands by his convictions. Also he can like, never admit that he’s wrong, and that's what I’d call pride.”

Their libero grins and slaps Ushijima’s shoulder, obviously just having heard the part he’d wanted to hear.

“Shirabu is definitely a Ravenclaw. He’s witty and always has a good remark, using his head in most situations. Always willing to learn, he seeks out knowledge himself.”

Their current setter’s expression is unreadable, but he hums contentedly, accepting his sorting without protest.

“Goshiki would be Gryffindor. He’s daring and doesn’t think. That’s all.”

Goshiki tears up a little bit, happy that he is being sorted into the same house as Ushijima, and Yamagata pulls both of them into a hug.

Then Reon chimes in. “And where would you be?"

“I… haven’t thought about that?”

Shirabu grabs his arm. “Obviously he’d be a Ravenclaw. He analyses everything and he has pretty good grades.”

Semi and Tendou share a look and shake their heads in unison. “Then you obviously haven’t seen him on the court. Even though he’s lazy as hell, he’s also out to win and would do anything. He belongs to Slytherin.”

“Actually,” Reon now interrupts them, “I’d say he belongs to Hufflepuff. Considering that he was able to sort all of us into our houses, he must know us pretty well, so I assume that friends are of great importance to him.”

Yamagata pulls Kawanishi into their hug and wraps his arms around the younger boy. “No. He’s a Gryffindor, can’t you see? He’s brave and… well, he doesn’t really stick up for his beliefs, but you can always count on him! No doubt! Well, probably.”

Kawanishi feels at home.

  1. ** Advantage**

When Kindaichi arrives at the agreed meeting point, Koganegawa and Lev are already excitedly chatting to one another. Or more like, screaming at each other’s face – he can’t really tell. They seem to enjoy it though.

Aone is sitting on a chair that he’s pushed to the wall, effectively shielding him from the flailing limbs, and Tsukishima is nowhere in sight. Not that Kindaichi is surprised. He hasn’t expected the blond to actually show up.

He sighs, defeated, and then stares at the banner hanging above the door.

‘Unreasonably tall and advantageous’, it reads.

  1. ** Breakfast**

Semi is humming, and quite frankly, it annoys him.

Shirabu scoffs at the other as he takes a seat at the table, putting his mug, filled to the brim with delicious, black coffee, in front of him. “Shut up, senpai,” he murmurs. The other has the audacity to laugh.

“Didn’t sleep well?” He tries to converse as he stirs in the big pot of rice that’s on the stove in front of him.

The copper-haired boy frowns. “How could I with Yamagata snoring and Tendou cuddling me in his sleep? And besides-“ he stops to point at the clock, but Semi isn’t even looking at him- “it’s 6 AM.”

The pinch server chuckles all the while he prepares everything for the miso soup, chopping up different ingredients. “So you came to help me?”

His face distorts at the slightest mention of helping to cook. “Maybe you should ask Reon-san for help instead of me.”

Semi doesn’t badger or tease him about it; he just shrugs and goes back to tending to the tamagoyaki, making sure it doesn’t stick to the pan. “Reon needs his sleep. I didn’t want to bother him.”

“Fair enough.” Reon has been working hard – as have all of them – and he probably really did need a rest. He watches as Semi prepares the natto. It’s really high in protein, perfect for an athlete, but he just can’t acquire a taste for it.

“Maybe you should still try to get some sleep, this will take a while.” Semi gestures to the yakizakana and kobachi, which he’s just started to fry.

The sounds are comforting enough to make him drowsy, although he'd never admit that, and he puts his arm on the table to rest his head on them. Just for a few minutes.

As the butter sizzles in a different pan – honestly, how many pans did he have? -, Semi takes a ladle and puts some of the batter for the okonomiyaki in. “Ah, by the way, if you have nothing to do, you could shape the rice into balls and wrap them in the nori. Oh, and could you boil some water as well, Shirabu? I want to prepare green tea.”

Shirabu huffs, but does as he’s told. “You shouldn’t make me work any more than I already have to during training camp. How did you even get in the kitchen?"

“That,” Semi winks as he carries out dish after dish, setting them on the table, “is my secret. And now wake the others.”

  1. ** Echoes**

Sugawara is just so disappointed by his kouhai.

Shaking his head, he separates Hinata from Kageyama’s arm. The former had latched onto him and the younger setter had been trying to get rid of him ever since. “Could you two please act like sensible people when we’re out in public?” He almost pleads, his eyes big and round.

Hinata and Kageyama look to the side, ashamed.

Then someone bumps into Kageyama and the whole fiasco starts anew. “Can’t you watch where you’re going?” The younger setter yells, and the person – a boy, maybe a year older than Kageyama – immediately stands up straight.

“What,” he sneers, “can’t you?” Kageyama fumes silently, but before Sugawara can say anything, a taller boy has seized the rude boy by his collar and forced him to bow. “Apologize, Shirabu,” he whispers to him, and the boy glares again, before mumbling an apology.

“I’m very sorry,” the taller boy says to Sugawara, staring him directly into the eyes. He has ash-blond hair with dark tips and there’s eyeliner accenting his mocha-coloured eyes. Then, addressing the boy apparently named Shirabu, he adds, “Can’t you act like a polite, sensible person for once?"

Hinata sniggers.

  1. ** Falling**

What did they learn from this, you ask? They were both fucking stupid, apparently.

Reon keeps sighing when he picks them up from the nurse’s office – keeps saying that it could have ended worse. And it definitely could have.

Semi’s heart is still racing when he returns to his room, setting the helmet on the table by the door.

Maybe having a motorcycle race with Yamagata wasn’t such a good idea when it had rained the previous night and the streets were slick.

It had started out well enough – they had done this on multiple occasions before, and nothing had ever happened.

So when they’d both leaned into the curve just a little too much and lost their grip, it was an unwelcome surprise.

Yamagata, occupying the other bed in the room, sheds his gloves and jacket, then slips out of his pants and shoes and unceremoniously drops them on the floor, falling into his bed. “Let’s like, never…”

He doesn’t have to finish the sentence. Semi just nods. “Yeah.”

  1. ** Picking up the Pieces**

Oikawa doesn’t quite know what to do. He’s apologized, shown remorse for what he’d almost done, yet Kageyama still flinches when he comes near, jerks away when they both reach for the ball at the same time.

It’s a work in progress, he muses, as he watches his junior from afar.

Maybe it’s his own fault.

  1. ** Gunshot**

The shot resounds in the room, almost too loud. Goshiki’s hands shake as he sets down the gun, Shirabu notices. He carefully watches the younger boy. His eyes are filled with tears.

“I just- I just shot Tendou-senpai,” he croaks out, his voice wobbly. Semi pats him on the shoulder.

“It was for the best. No one blames you.”

Muffled moaning is heard from the ground and Shirabu shoots a disgusted look at the heap of red hair and tall, gangly limbs on the floor.

“What the fuck?” The thing asks. “What the fuck did you guys shoot me with?”

“A Nerf Rival Prometheus MXVIII-20K,” Semi simply responds. “Does it really hurt that much?”

Tendou only grunts.

  1. ** Possession (Continuation of 87. Gunshot)**

Yamagata holds the flashlight directly under his chin. Probably to make the situation seem creepier or to create suspense, but all it really does is highlight his double chin.

Tendou is lying next to him, trying to be dead still, but Semi can see him breathe ever so slightly. The other has never been a very good actor. He sighs.

Their libero is now directly staring at Goshiki, not blinking, and starts to speak. “Tendou has died because of you, Goshiki. Do you realise what you’ve done?”

Nodding, the younger boy clings closer to Shirabu, who just seems annoyed instead of afraid.

“Maybe,” Yamagata pauses for a moment, frowning. “Maybe he’ll come back as a ghost to possess you.”

Tendou snickers and Yamagata tries to inconspicuously hold his mouth shut.

  1. ** Twilight**

‘How weird’, Yamaguchi thinks when he sees Sugawara pass by, completely engrossed in a book. He catches a glimpse of the cover; a pair of really pale hands is holding an apple and the title is ‘Twilight’.

He hadn’t thought his senpai to be the type to read this kind of book, but who was he to judge?

He makes sure to borrow the book from the library the next day, though. Maybe Yachi-chan would like it.

  1. ** Nowhere and Nothing **

He doesn’t know where he belongs.

His old team had cast him out, had refused to stand behind him.

It haunts him; the tired, hurt look in Kunimi’s eyes and Kindaichi’s cutting, angry voice. It haunts him more than he lets on.

He is better than this – whatever _this_ is – so why do they treat him like that?

Like he is nothing and belongs nowhere?

  1. ** Answers **

Shirabu startles when Goshiki bursts into his classroom. The lesson has just ended, and he is looking forward to spending his lunchbreak in silence.

“Shirabu!” The other bellows, and the addressed can basically hear his classmate’s interested whispers. 

“What do you want, Goshiki?” Kawanishi, for whatever reason, is also in his classroom and snickers at his misfortune.

“I just wanted to know what your answer for question number four was! Y’know, in the test right now!” Goshiki babbles on, seemingly not needing to breathe.

Shirabu stares at him, disbelievingly. “We aren’t even in the same year. What the fuck.”

  1. ** Innocence**

Coach is asleep, which is a good thing, because if he were awake, he’d probably let them run 15 laps just because of Tendou’s stupidity.

“Turn that off!” Both Reon and Semi snap at him in commanding voices, respectively covering their juniors’ ears.

Tendou smirks at them and mouths along to the song coming from his phone.

_“Fuck! You a pussy ass bitch, fuck you, your mumma, and your kids!”_

Shirabu just rolls his eyes – why’s he always treated like a fucking child? Kawanishi puts an earbud in his ear, ignoring the commotion. Just Goshiki seems confused, but honestly, when does he not.

Yamagata sighs, smacking Tendou slightly. “You want them to murder you in your sleep?” He asks, and it sounds resigned.

Ushijima simply does not care.

  1. ** Simplicity**

It’s cute enough, she supposes as she twirls around in front of her mirror. Showing off isn’t something she normally does – after all, what does she have to show off?

She isn’t nearly as pretty or as smart as Kiyoko-san.

No, negative thoughts are that last thing she needs right now! Scolding herself mentally, she tries to push them aside.

Then, taking one last look at her reflection, she grabs her bag and sets off, the simple, white dress framing her petite build perfectly. It swishes around her as she saunters down the stairs and through the front door.

Maybe Yamaguchi will like the dress as well? She hopes so, at least.

  1. ** Reality**

Tendou coughs once, twice.

He doesn’t cough a third time, but he doesn’t need to, either. Semi’s immediately at his side, leads him off the court as if he’s about to pass out or something. He isn’t.

“Wanna stop by at the nurse’s, later?” He asks. “To get you some cough syrup?”

The middle blocker shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good.” He can see that Semi wants to protest, so he quickly adds, “I still have a lot of cough syrup in my room.”

Oops. That was the wrong thing to say.

Semi’s gaze turns from worried to distrusting. “Why do you have cough syrup in your room if you’re not sick?”

Tendou scratches his head. “Y’know like, drinking cough syrup when you didn't have a cough is really ironic, because in reality you're sicker than you thought.” He laughs awkwardly.

The ash-blond narrows his eyes at him. “Was that a motherfucking Flatsound-reference or is that just you telling me you get drunk on that shit?”

  1. ** Acceptance (Continuation of 71. The True You) **

It’s Tendou’s first pride ever, and his friends are with him!

To be fair, most of them look like they have no idea what they’re doing here, but hey, at least they’re trying!

Semi is completely decked out in rainbow-merchandise. Rainbow ear studs, rainbow scarf, rainbow jacket and socks, you name it. It’s not surprising – he’d come out to the team a few years ago, and it never had been a problem, but he’d also never wanted to go to pride.

Reon and Yamagata both have decorated their jackets with pins, and it’s honestly a cute gesture, considering they’re both straight. Tendou would hug them to death if he could, but sadly that is frowned upon.

Ushijima just seems confused. He’s holding a multi-coloured flag and waves it around now and then, but he mostly seems lost.

Shirabu looks like he doesn’t want to be here. Not because he’s against it, but just because Tendou had literally forced him to come. The setter maybe resents him for that, but Kawanishi is obviously enjoying himself. He’d somehow gotten a face paint-job by some street artist and it honestly looks so endearing.

About Goshiki… well. They lost him somewhere along the way, but it was probably no big deal! He’ll turn up sooner or later. It is as if he could smell Ushijima from a hundred miles away, so Tendou isn’t too worried.

And they could always just grab a random kid from the street and take it back to Shiratorizawa. No one would notice the difference.

  1. ** Lesson**

Sugawara expectantly looks at his team’s libero, who’s currently flat on the ground and groaning. “And what did we learn from this?” He asks sweetly.

Nishinoya looks up ever so slightly. “Never break the rules or the rules will break you.”

  1. ** Rebirth**

Tendou and Goshiki make the mistake of coming across Asahi just after he has showered during the time of their training camp.

Both of them gawp and start screaming at the same time, and Asahi looks ready to burst into tears.

“What the fuck, what- wh-“ Tendou’s probably never stuttered that much in his entire life. Goshiki clings to his arm, crying, and mumbling things like ‘make him go away!’.

“What the fuck is Jesus doing here?”

  1. ** Game**

Kuroo sneaks a glance at Kenma’s PSP. Kenma seems unusually relaxed while playing; it’s a cute sight.

It’s The Sims he’s playing, nothing weird, but the character on the screen looks _exactly_ like Kuroo. Jetblack bedhead-hair, a lazy grin and slightly narrowed eyes. Aw, did Kenma like him that much?

Then he notices something weird.

His clone is currently swimming in a pool, but there’s no ladder. Mini-Kuroo gets exhausted pretty fast and starts flailing around wildly.

They both watch as he drowns. Kuroo shudders.

  1. ** Friendship**

_It’s just a bad dream_, he reminds himself. No biggie, he’s dealt with worse.

But it’s no use. Their harsh words still hurt and it feels as bad as it did back then.

Tendou leaves the playground quietly, sand in his shoes and tears in his eyes. He passes a puddle and crouches down. Big, red eyes and a carmine bowl cut meet his gaze. He blinks, and suddenly someone else appears in the reflection.

There’s a boy behind him.

Immediately he spins around, almost falling into the puddle. The boy grins and holds his hand out. “Hi!” He says cheerily.

Tendou regards him with a curious, yet slightly distrustful look. He doesn’t answer, either.

“Do you wanna play with me? I’m new here and I don’t know anyone. Mom told me to make friends. Do you wanna be friends?”

And sure enough, Tendou has never seen the boy before. His hair is ash-blond and he has slanted, brown eyes with a glimmer in them. Even his accent sounds foreign. He clears his throat. “Uh- I’m… what’s your name?”

“Oh!” The other boy’s face lights up. “Sorry! My name’s Semi Eita! What’s yours?”

Tendou finally grabs the still outstretched hand. “Tendou Satori. And yeah, I want to be friends.” He wipes his runny nose on his cuff and Semi-kun smiles at him.

“Cool!”

Tendou wakes up with a warm feeling in his chest.

  1. ** Endings**

It’s completely quiet in the gym, so quiet you probably could hear a pin drop. Until it isn’t anymore.

Cheers and hoots erupt from every side, filling the room to the brim with noise, with chatter and crying and laughter and everything in between.

Not everyone is always happy with the outcome, no, sports don’t work that way.

It’s competitive, it’s challenging, it’s the survival of the fittest.

And for once, Karasuno had claimed this title. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finished it :))
> 
> i wrote like, non stop and im really exhausted tbh. Once i start sth i cant stop till its finished. thats my flaw. but yeah, its done!!! im really happy :)
> 
> i hope u enjoyed reading it uwu


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